As he reached thus far, a shutter gently opened, and in the strong glare of the moonlight some trace of a head could be detected behind the curtain. Encouraged by this, the singer went on in a rich and flowery voice,—
“Anxious he waits,
Thy voice to hear
Break, break on his enraptured ear.”
At this moment the window was thrown open, and a female voice, in an accent strongly Scotch, called out, “Awa wi' ye,—pack o' ne'er-do-weels as ye are,—awa wi' ye a'! I 'll call the police.” But Mayfair went on,—
The night invites to love,
So tarry not above,
But Lilla—Lilla—Lilla, come down to me!
“I'll come down to you, and right soon,” shouted a hoarse masculine voice. Two or three who had clambered over the paling beside Mayfair now scampered off; and Mayfair himself, making a spring, cleared the fence, and ran down the road at the top of his speed, followed by all but Tony, who, half in indignation at their ignominious flight, and half with some vague purpose of apology, stood his ground before the gate.
The next moment the hall door opened, and a short thickset man, armed with a powerful bludgeon, rushed out and made straight towards him. Seeing, however, that Tony stood firm, neither offering resistance nor attempting escape, he stopped short, and cried out, “What for drunken blackguards are ye, that canna go home without disturbing a quiet neighborhood?”
“If you can keep a civil tongue in your head,” said Tony, “I 'll ask your pardon for this disturbance.”
“What's your apology to me, you young scamp!” cried the other, wrenching open the gate and passing out into the road. “I'd rather give you a lesson than listen to your excuses.” He lifted his stick as he spoke; but Tony sprang upon him with the speed of a tiger, and, wrenching the heavy bludgeon out of his hand, flung it far into a neighboring field, and then, grasping him by the collar with both hands, he gave him such a shake as very soon convinced his antagonist how unequal the struggle would be between them. “By Heaven!” muttered Tony, “if you so much as lay a hand on me, I 'll send you after your stick. Can't you see that this was only a drunken frolic, that these young fellows did not want to insult you, and if I stayed here behind them, it was to appease, not to offend you?”
“Dinna speak to me, sir. Let me go,—let go my coat I 'm not to be handled in this manner,” cried the other, in passion.
“Go back to your bed, then!” said Tony, pushing him from him. “It's clear enough you have no gentleman's blood in your body, or you 'd accept an amends or resent an affront.”